by Ruby Dixon
I watch them go, biting back a smile. I would say Liz runs roughshod over Raahosh, but I think he’s the only one that tolerates her crap and gives her back just as much. It’s a surprisingly good pairing, because Liz is definitely a bit acerbic and headstrong.
“You look tired, my mate,” Vektal says.
“Do I?” I look over at him in surprise. I don’t feel tired. It was a long trip, sure, but I…oh. He’s giving me a slow, wicked grin that I recognize. “You did say you were leaving me tomorrow, didn’t you?”
He nods, pulling me so close that my boobs brush against his chest. “I must go out on the hunt like all the others. It is my duty. But it will make my return twice as sweet to know you and our kit are waiting for me.”
It’s an aspect of life I’m going to have to get used to. I nod, smiling. “Until then, you did mention you have time for one more honeymoon night?”
“I do,” he murmurs, gaze intent on me and a promise in his eyes.
“Maybe we should play Gollum and his precious, then,” I say, fluttering my lashes at him as I take him by the hand and lead him back toward the nook of our cave.
“As long as you tell me what it is, I am game.”
I chuckle. “It involves lots of rubbing.”
“All the best games do.”
7
GEORGIE
We end up playing no games at all. I’m too easily distracted. By the time we get to our cave, Vektal’s mouth is on me and I lose track of utterly everything in the world but him and his seemingly magic tongue. And his tail. And his big hands. And spur. The spur is always, always a distraction.
It’s all wonderful, though. Vektal makes me come so hard that I see stars. Twice. And then we curl around each other and sleep through the night. I put my cold feet on his leg and he doesn’t even protest. That’s when you know it’s love.
I’m asleep when he presses a kiss to my brow and slides out of bed, but even those small movements wake me up. I pretend to keep sleeping, watching him from under my lashes as he puts on his loincloth and his knife-vest and I know he’s going hunting. He’s going to be leaving me soon for the first time and my throat clenches. I reach up and grab his tail as he tugs on his boots. “You won’t leave before I get to kiss you goodbye, will you?”
Vektal groans even as I stroke the furry tip of his tail. I know it’s sensitive. I got his attention, though, and that’s what I wanted. “I am merely going to get supplies and speak to the other hunters. I will return, my sweet resonance. Never fear. Your mate will not leave without giving his female a proper goodbye.”
Ooh, I hope that involves a quickie. I smile up at him from bed. “Okay. I love you. Hurry back soon.”
He kneels beside the furs and kisses my brow, then runs his thumb over it. I know he’s fascinated by the smoothness there and my lack of horns. “Sleep,” he says. “I will wake you before I go.”
I nod and snuggle back into the furs as he heads out to the main cave. I can’t fall back asleep, though. My mind’s already flying through all the things that need to be done. I should visit Maylak and get her to check on my pregnancy, since it’s the first human-sa-khui pregnancy in all time and I want to make sure things go well. I need to start sewing. Vektal’s got plenty of furs but I don’t have much clothing to wear. I need to learn how to do a lot of stuff, actually. I need to check on Claire, who’s hooking up with one of the guys without resonance. I need to check on the girls that did resonate and make sure they’re doing okay and their relationships are going smoothly. I need to check up on the girls that didn’t resonate because I don’t want them to feel as if they’re missing out…
Really, there’s a laundry list of things to do and staying in bed is a lot less fun when it’s just me. With a small sigh, I push the furs back and get up.
Megan’s by the fire when I head into the main part of the cave. There are a few of the aliens awake. No, I remind myself. We’re the aliens. They’re the sa-khui. Megan’s the only other human awake, and her face lights up when she sees me so I head in her direction. “Morning,” I say brightly. I take one of the cups by the fire and dip it into the hot tea. The sa-khui share cups and while they’re always careful to wash them out, it was strange to me at first, because I imagined all kinds of germs being left behind. But that’s why we have cooties, right? To handle those sorts of things. I hold the cup out to Megan. “You want some?”
She hesitates before reaching for it. “Are you sure it’s okay?”
“It’s for everyone,” I tell her. And I know it is. No one would smack Megan’s hands for taking a cup of tea. I hand her the cup and scoop one for myself, sitting down next to her. “Sleep well?”
She bites her lip and shrugs. “As well as can be expected on a stone floor?” She rubs her ass as if to demonstrate that not all of her slept well after all.
“Really? I’m surprised you felt the floor. The furs Vektal has are so thick it’s ridiculous.”
“Oh,” is all she says. And the smile she offers me is reluctant and miserable. “He’s the chief, though. It’s different.”
“No, it’s not,” I tell her firmly. “We live here too, Megan. We are just as valuable as anyone else in this tribe. The food is for everyone. The drink is for everyone.” I clink my bone cup to hers in a mock-toast. “if you’re thirsty, you get a drink. If you’re hungry, you get food. And if you’re cold at night, then you get more blankets. We’re not interlopers, okay? This is our home now. These are our people.”
She gives me a tremulous smile, and there’s such worry and uncertainty in her eyes that it makes my heart squeeze. “I just don’t want to bother anyone, you know?” Megan bites her lip. “I don’t want to be a problem.”
I don’t know if it’s leftover trauma from our horrible time as slaves in the alien ship or if this is Megan’s personality, but I wrap a protective arm around her shoulders and give her a squeeze. This is my purpose, I realize. I didn’t want to come back from our honeymoon, sure…but I’m glad we did. Vektal needs to lead his people and to hunt, and I need to be here for the girls, leading them in my own way. I’m the one that should be setting an example as well as being a shoulder to cry on.
And if Megan needs blankets, I’m going to get her some blankets.
I set my cup down and get to my feet. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?” She puts her cup down with a small frown. “Georgie—”
“We are going to get you some extra blankets,” I say firmly. “There are plenty of furs in storage so if you’re cold, you don’t have to suffer. This is your home now, too. You get blankets just like anyone else does.”
She gives me such a worried look that it just makes me feel even fiercer in her defense. Poor Megan—someone’s done a hell of a number on her self-esteem. “I just don’t want to cause problems—”
“Nonsense. If anyone has a problem, they can take it up with me, okay? You don’t let anyone give you shit. We’re going to learn how to make furs, too, but until then, everyone here is more than willing to share, I promise.” I take her hand and squeeze it, then lead her toward the supply cave. I won’t let her argue. She’d rather be uncomfortable than “bother” anyone and that’s not how it’s going to work. We’re a tribe and we need to act like one. It’s a good reminder for me, too. The honeymoon was nice, but it’s even nicer to be home and starting the rest of our lives.
As luck has it, when we approach the supply cave, I can hear the sound of voices. Male voices, deep in discussion. Megan clenches my arm, and I hesitate, not wanting to interrupt anyone’s conversation. The supplies are free for everyone to use, but it’s also early enough that a conversation in a cave feels like a secret.
“We have questions,” I hear one of the hunters say. I mentally flip through my mental list of tribes-folk, trying to match the voice with the face. Hassen? Cashol?
“What is it?”
And that voice makes me flush with pleasure. That’s my Vektal. My honey. My sweet resonance. I get a goofy smile on my face.
“One of the females said that Zolaya’s mate is a man-eater,” Cashol says. “Should we warn him to be wary of her? Do you think she truly devours human flesh?”
He sounds so very worried and serious. At my side, Megan buries her face against my arm, stifling her laughter.
I know we should announce our presence, that we’re snooping, but really…I want to hear the answer. I’m curious how my Vektal will handle it. He doesn’t really think Marlene is a cannibal, does he? She’s confident and flirty, sure, but…eating human flesh?
“Nonsense,” my Vektal says. “She is not eating him. Human females like to do that sort of thing to their males. It is very natural for them.”
I can feel my eyes go wide. Megan’s shoulders shake with silent amusement.
“What…are you talking about, my chief? What has Shorshie eaten of yours?” He sounds utterly confused.
Oh jeez. I cringe, waiting to hear the answer.
“Humans have different ways of showing their affection,” Vektal says, and he sounds both confident and condescending. “Whatever she puts in her mouth, it is between her and her mate.”
I’m dying. I’m really, really dying right about now. Megan makes a crude gesture with a hand and I slap it away, trying not to burst out in a fit of giggles. Are they talking about…fellatio? Poor Cashol is just going to get even more confused with the way this conversation is heading.
“I do not know what you are talking about,” Cashol admits.
“What do you think I am talking about?” Vektal replies, and it sounds so vague that I think he’s realizing they’re on two different pages now. My poor mate. I put a hand to my lips to fight back my smile.
“Whatever she is doing to him, Zolaya likes it,” says a new voice. I know that one—Aehako. “If you are looking to save him from his mate, Cashol, you had best look elsewhere.”
“I just worry,” Cashol says, and he sounds grumpy. “Do…do you think all the females are like Zolaya’s female? Putting strange things in their mouths that do not belong there?”
“What the hell?” Megan mouths to me.
I just wave a hand, listening in. I should announce our presence soon. Very soon. I’m just enjoying this bizarre conversation far too much.
“We should all be so lucky,” Aehako says cheerfully.
“Do you have a female in your sights, Cashol?” Vektal’s voice is serious, authoritative.
“The one called Meh-gann is very pleasing to look upon,” Cashol says. “But she is shy. When I try to smile at her, she looks away. I do not know how to speak to her.”
Megan’s hand gets tight on my arm and her mouth flattens. It’s not a look of dislike, but one of worry and fear. I put my hand over hers calmingly. If she’s not ready for a relationship, she doesn’t have to have one. I will make that very clear to my Vektal. Megan’s had a hard road so far and I’m not going to let anyone make it harder for her.
“Give her time,” Vektal says.
“She saw Maylak with her kit and wept,” Cashol says, and he sounds concerned. “I think she is frightened of resonance.”
“It might be hoar-moans,” Vektal says, sounding oh-so-knowledgeable. “My mate told me of such things. They make females cry.”
“Hoar-moans?” Aehako echoes. “What is that? Something that dwells inside a female like a khui?”
“Perhaps,” Vektal says, and he sounds just as confused as they do.
I clear my throat loudly before Vektal can start telling the others that PMS is a beast that lives inside women or some craziness. I know he doesn’t mean it. Humans—and for the most part, women—are pretty mystifying to their men. “Hello in there,” I call out, and step forward. Megan shrinks back, letting go of my arm and sinking back. She doesn’t follow me in. That’s all right, I’ll get the blankets for her.
As I enter the supply cave, the three men straighten. I see tails flicking, and Cashol looks uncomfortable even as Aehako grins at me. Vektal just gives me a heated look as if he’d like nothing more than to devour me on the spot.
Now who’s the cannibal? I think to myself. “I came to get some extra blankets for, ah, someone.” I deliberately avoid Megan’s name, remembering how she panicked when Cashol brought her up. “And can I steal you away for a few minutes, Vektal? Before you leave?”
“Of course, my resonance.”
We load my arms up with furs while Aehako and Cashol pick through a basket of bones, looking for scraps for some sort of project, or maybe just lurking to overhear anything I say. I gesture that Vektal should follow me out and head back to the main cavern with my armload of furs, but Megan’s nowhere to be seen. She’s gone off to hide. I’ll find her later, then. I head back to the cave I share with Vektal and we set our armloads of furs down on our bed.
“What is it?” he asks the moment I turn to look at him. “Is everything all right? Is the kit well?” His glowing blue eyes are filled with concern, and he moves forward and brushes his knuckles along my jaw, as if he needs to reassure himself that I’m here.
I wanted to bring him back to the cave and tell him not to tell the others about our sex life, or hormones, or any other million things that might come up and be potentially embarrassing. But he puts a hand on my lower belly and tugs me closer to him, and I forget about everything.
There are going to be questions about humans and sa-khui and how we’re different. They’re going to ask Vektal about our mating. They’re going to ask about everything.
And…it’s not important. Not when I’m looking at my gorgeous, protective mate and he’s about to leave me for days on end.
“What did you want to say to me?” Vektal prompts again.
I go up on my tiptoes and pull him down for a quick, hard kiss. “I wanted to say thank you.”
His hands are warm on my waist. “For?”
“For my honeymoon.” I smile up at him. Let them think I put my mouth all over this gorgeous man. All over. I don’t care. We can give them things to talk about. They’ll know how much I love him. “And you’ll hurry home back to me?”
“No hunter will ever be so fast,” he promises, voice raspy as he glides one big hand up and down my back. “My feet will be swift.”
I know it’s necessary for him to go, just as I know people are going to ask weird questions about our mating, about humans, about everything. It’s part of my new life and I’m going to accept it–and my mate–with arms wide open.
Well…I’ll accept it soon enough. I tug on Vektal’s vest and then slide my hand down his stomach. “Think that this swift hunter will have time for a quick round in the furs with his mate before he heads out?”
Vektal’s eyes gleam. “For you? I have all the time in the world.”
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Hello there!
I love my fans. I love how much they love my characters. I feel like when I’m writing about Not-Hoth and the ever-growing cast, you guys are right there with me. You’re quick to ask about storylines I haven’t wrapped, or characters that haven’t gotten their mate - or their own stories - yet. I love that you love them because *I* love them, too.
One of the things I’m asked the most often is for more stories about the characters we’ve seen before. You all want to see more stories about Georgie, about Liz, about Josie, about everyone. I’ve had people request stories about metlaks, about pets getting their happy ever afters, about the first comers who landed on the ice planet waaaay back in the day. I love this! I want to write all of it!
Well, maybe not the metlak stories. ;)
But going back to existing characters who have already had a happy ever after can sometimes be problematic. You know what I’m talking about — the characters get a happy ending in book one, and then book two splits them apart over something and then they don’t get back together until the end of book two or even book three.
As a reader? I fucking hate that. It’s one of my biggest pet peeves. So I’m not writing that. I feel like it ruins part of the earlier hap
piness to throw in a monkey-wrench. I don’t want that to happen to my characters.
(Which is not to say that other people can’t write it well. They totally can and this is not a slam against anyone else! It’s just my personal preference.)
I also feel that as a writer, I need a story of some kind to establish things. 200 pages of characters sitting by a fire and talking about their breakfast can wear thin.
Which is why a honeymoon is perfect! It gives me a plot, and based on the characters, it allows me to create some sort of conflict or driving need without ripping apart their happiness.
Think of this series (because it WILL be a series) as extended epilogues. I have Liz’s honeymoon story mapped out. After that, it’ll be Kira, and then we’ll just keep going down the line until we all want to vomit with the saccharine sweetness of it. ;)
Later this month, PRETTY HUMAN will be out, and in July, I have something a little different that’s with my editor even now. It’s different (but still very Ruby Dixon) and I hope you all like it. I’ll talk more about it when I get it back from the editor and stop hyperventilating about it. It’s been both stressful and cathartic for me, and features someone that might be one of my favorite heroes ever and a heroine who gives Liz a run for her money.
And for August? We’re back to dragons and Gabe’s story. If you’re wondering about the honeymoon short stories and where they all fit in? I’ll pepper them in whenever I can. I won’t have a set schedule as of now, so think of them as occasional bonuses that show up to fill in gaps in my publishing schedule.
I hope you enjoy this look back as much as I did!! <3
Ruby
ICE PLANET BARBARIANS SERIES
All free in Kindle Unlimited!
Ice Planet Barbarians (Georgie/Vektal)
Barbarian Alien (Liz/Raahosh)
Barbarian Lover (Kira/Aehako)
Barbarian Mine (Harlow/Rukh)